Roasting at 400 degrees is a great way to get dinner on the table on a weeknight.

When you walk in the door, turn the oven on to pre-heat.

Keep your freezer stocked with line-caught Pacific cod and salmon fillets, boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs and pork tenderloins, separated into two pieces lengthwise in the deep freeze for just this purpose. The key is to freeze everything individually in zip-top freezer bags.

I stock up on any of the above items when they’re on sale, placing the individual bags into a gallon-size freezer bag for extra protection.

If I remember in the morning, I can retrieve a package and place it in the refrigerator to thaw during the day. More often than not, the main portion gets a quick-thaw in a sink or bowl full of cool water while I prep the rest of the ingredients.

Dinner is on the table, in 45 minutes or less, and you will have time to pour a glass of wine and take a deep breath or two while dinner finishes in the oven.

Essential pieces of kitchen equipment for this method of getting dinner together are a large ovenproof skillet and mitts, a heavy lined baking sheet (I like to line mine with foil for easy cleanup).

Thicker pieces of meat and fish can be browned in the skillet, sauce ingredients added and the dish finishes in just 10-15 minutes or so in the oven.

One of the reasons that people often become bored with meals when they start a new way of eating is to eat the same flavors day after day, without variation, especially for meats like chicken and pork, which have mild flavors.

One of my secrets to boosting flavor, and giving a dish a little flair like restaurant meals is sauce. Not heavy, rich, cream sauces laden with butter (except a bit swirled in at the end can be a delicious way to finish the sauce), but something called a pan sauce.

It is made by sauteing shallots and garlic in a bit of the cooking fat that remains after browning meat, then adding flavorful wine or stock, then reducing the liquid until it is concentrated and slightly thickened.

This recipe combines two tricks: pan roasting and pan sauce. It is fast, healthy and easy. You can make it with pork tenderloin or one of the rolled and tied turkey tenderloins I’m seeing more often in the meat case.

Diane Welker is a lifelong adventurer in the world of food, a caterer and hosts a food and cooking website at www.atthetable.com.

PAN-ROASTED PORK OR TURKEY TENDERLOIN WITH MUSHROOM MARSALA SAUCE

1 2-3 pork or turkey tenderloin, no seasoning added

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

2 (you may need more) Tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon olive oil + 1 more for the pan

4-5 sprigs chopped fresh thyme

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped

1 large shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper

1/2 cup dry marsala wine

1/2 cup chicken stock (bone broth preferred)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, olive oil and fresh thyme. Salt and pepper the tenderloin, then spread the mustard mixture all over.

Heat a skillet large enough to hold the tenderloin over medium-high heat. Drizzle in the remaining olive oil and give the pan a tilt to coat. Carefully place the tenderloin in the pan and continue to sauté. The meat will release when it is ready to be turned, so don’t mess with it! When the meat is browned on all sides, add the vegetables all around the meat and sauté for just a few minutes to brown the vegetables a bit, giving them a stir to evenly brown.

Pour the Marsala and chicken stock into the pan, using a spatula to scrape up the brown bits. Slide the skilled into the oven, and roast until a thermometer registers 155 degrees, about 20-30 minutes longer. Check to be sure that the liquid has not evaporated during the roasting process and add more wine or stock as needed. You could even use water at this point!

Pull the skillet from the oven (USE A HOT PAD!), and place back on the stovetop. Use tongs to remove the meat to a platter and keep warm. Give the sauce a stir, and simmer on the stovetop for a bit to thicken the sauce, stirring constantly if necessary. Taste for salt and pepper.

Slice the tenderloin, and spoon the sauce over the top. Serve with steamed green beans or sautéed spinach and a baked sweet potato and a green salad.